The external affairs minister, Mr S.M.Krishna, has indicated that India’s concerns on terror would also be discussed when he meets his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Islamabad on July 15.
The date and venue of the talks was firmed up Tuesday in a telephone conversation between the two ministers.
The foreign ministers’ talks follows the brief meeting between the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani, on the sidelines of the Saarc summit in Thimpu late last month.
Speaking on board the flight to the Kazakh capital of Astana where he is to attend bilateral talks, Mr Krishna said: “The Thimpu spirit is that we discuss everything and there are no issues that are to be kept outside.” He added, “I’m sure that Pakistan shares this concern of ours.”
The last time the foreign ministers had a meeting was on November 26, 2008 just hours before terrorists from Pakistan unleashed mayhem in Mumbai, killing around 200 people.
In Islamabad, Mr Qureshi said India and Pakistan were going into the talks with an open mind. He said: “I will not create any false hopes. I am a realist.”
The Krishna-Qureshi meeting would be preceded by the home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram’s visit to Islamabad on June 26 for the much-delayed meeting of the home ministers of Saarc countries. When his attention was drawn to a recent suggestion by Finland’s foreign minister, Mr Alexander Stubb on third-party mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue, Mr Krishna remarked: “When we are talking to Pakistan directly, where does the question of third party mediation arise?”
Showing posts with label External Affairs Minister. Show all posts
Showing posts with label External Affairs Minister. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Terror only issue with Pak: SM
The external affairs minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, on Monday said a meeting between the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani, on the sidelines of the two-day 16th Saarc summit had always been in the air.
The spirit of it was to keep up bilateral contacts at a high level even if no concrete forward movement on key questions was expected. A sense of engagement might be better than its absence, he observed.
Responding to a question on whether India would agree to hand over Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured after the 26/11 Mumbai attack, to Pakistan following the demand to that effect made by the Pakistan’s interior minister, Mr Rahman Malik, the external affairs minister said, “Late last night I received the six dossiers forwarded by Pakistan, and have not had the time to apply my mind. The decision would naturally be taken after due consultation among the various arms of the government. However, the Kasab trial is in an advanced stage in India. We should complete our own process first before taking a call on other matters.”
A high-level source noted that the dossiers from Islamabad were a response to the material India had sent them earlier, and related to the trial of the Pakistani conspirators of 26/11.
He indicated that “terrorism” was the only issue of substance to talk to the Pakistan Prime Minister about at this stage.
It is understood top Indian officials and ambassadors in the region are unable to grasp the reasons for holding a bilateral meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister at this stage.
Those who deal with Pakistan on a regular basis best understand the futility of engagement at the highest level at the current juncture, sources said.
Asked if agreeing to meet Mr Gilani in Thimpu amounted to Dr Singh accepting the contours of the Pakistani “roadmap” for resumption of the composite dialogue process suspended by India after the attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, a leading source said, “It is too early to go that far. We do need to understand first how far Pakistan wishes to advance the relationship, and whether it is capable of taking the necessary steps.”
The Pakistan “roadmap” was enunciated at a meeting of the foreign secretaries of the two countries on February 25.
It envisaged a meeting between the two Prime Ministers, taking advantage of their presence at the Saarc summit.
The spirit of it was to keep up bilateral contacts at a high level even if no concrete forward movement on key questions was expected. A sense of engagement might be better than its absence, he observed.
Responding to a question on whether India would agree to hand over Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured after the 26/11 Mumbai attack, to Pakistan following the demand to that effect made by the Pakistan’s interior minister, Mr Rahman Malik, the external affairs minister said, “Late last night I received the six dossiers forwarded by Pakistan, and have not had the time to apply my mind. The decision would naturally be taken after due consultation among the various arms of the government. However, the Kasab trial is in an advanced stage in India. We should complete our own process first before taking a call on other matters.”
A high-level source noted that the dossiers from Islamabad were a response to the material India had sent them earlier, and related to the trial of the Pakistani conspirators of 26/11.
He indicated that “terrorism” was the only issue of substance to talk to the Pakistan Prime Minister about at this stage.
It is understood top Indian officials and ambassadors in the region are unable to grasp the reasons for holding a bilateral meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister at this stage.
Those who deal with Pakistan on a regular basis best understand the futility of engagement at the highest level at the current juncture, sources said.
Asked if agreeing to meet Mr Gilani in Thimpu amounted to Dr Singh accepting the contours of the Pakistani “roadmap” for resumption of the composite dialogue process suspended by India after the attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, a leading source said, “It is too early to go that far. We do need to understand first how far Pakistan wishes to advance the relationship, and whether it is capable of taking the necessary steps.”
The Pakistan “roadmap” was enunciated at a meeting of the foreign secretaries of the two countries on February 25.
It envisaged a meeting between the two Prime Ministers, taking advantage of their presence at the Saarc summit.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
India playing a stellar role in rebuilding Afghanistan: Krishna
Refuting reports that it has been “squeezed out” of Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna has said India was playing a “stellar role” in rebuilding the war-torn country which was acknowledged by the people and the legitimate government there.
He also said India has taken note of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s statement that it was a friend and Pakistan a conjoined twin.
“I do not think that India has been squeezed out. I think India is playing a stellar role in rebuilding Afghanistan which has been acknowledged by the people of Afghanistan and by the legitimate Government of Afghanistan, and that is what matters,” Krishna said in an interview to Karan Thapar for Devil’s Advocate.
He was asked about the media reports that whilst Pakistan’s influence was growing, India was either left out of the loop or is being squeezed out.
On Mr. Karzai’s statement, the minister said “In President Karzai’s assessment, I think that is the scheme of things.”
“We take note of that”, was his reply when asked if it worried India.
About attacks on Indians, Mr. Krishna noted that those who have gone there on humanitarian purposes are unarmed which makes them “easy and soft targets” but he said Afghanistan government has assured that they will be able to protect the Indian personnel who have gone there on call of duty.
He said “apart from what the Afghanistan government is doing, India will have to take some additional measures ourselves.”
The Minister also rejected the reports that the US Administration was trying to minimise India’s presence in Afghanistan.
“We have in our interactions with the US Administration at various levels not got the impression that the United States is trying to convey directly or indirectly to the Indian Government that our presence in Afghanistan should be minimised. That is not my impression,” he said.
He also said India has taken note of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s statement that it was a friend and Pakistan a conjoined twin.
“I do not think that India has been squeezed out. I think India is playing a stellar role in rebuilding Afghanistan which has been acknowledged by the people of Afghanistan and by the legitimate Government of Afghanistan, and that is what matters,” Krishna said in an interview to Karan Thapar for Devil’s Advocate.
He was asked about the media reports that whilst Pakistan’s influence was growing, India was either left out of the loop or is being squeezed out.
On Mr. Karzai’s statement, the minister said “In President Karzai’s assessment, I think that is the scheme of things.”
“We take note of that”, was his reply when asked if it worried India.
About attacks on Indians, Mr. Krishna noted that those who have gone there on humanitarian purposes are unarmed which makes them “easy and soft targets” but he said Afghanistan government has assured that they will be able to protect the Indian personnel who have gone there on call of duty.
He said “apart from what the Afghanistan government is doing, India will have to take some additional measures ourselves.”
The Minister also rejected the reports that the US Administration was trying to minimise India’s presence in Afghanistan.
“We have in our interactions with the US Administration at various levels not got the impression that the United States is trying to convey directly or indirectly to the Indian Government that our presence in Afghanistan should be minimised. That is not my impression,” he said.
